


Capramancy

by Ononymous



Series: Christmas 2019 Stories and Requests [13]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:20:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22162432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ononymous/pseuds/Ononymous
Summary: On a day out with Toriel, Asgore has a chance meeting with a fortune teller. One with a higher pedigree than you might expect at first glance. What will they see? What they need to see.
Relationships: Asgore Dreemurr/Toriel
Series: Christmas 2019 Stories and Requests [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1580731
Kudos: 14





	Capramancy

"What about this one?"

"No thank you, it looks far too tacky."

"Alright. But don't think you're off the hook just yet."

"And whom is on whose hook, Dreemurr?"

For all the crowds in the market that day, Asgore and Toriel had no trouble roaming where they wished. Mostly because humans parted to give them room. The price of this was being stared at, but it was a price they were used to paying beyond the shadow of Mount Ebott, and as long as no eye belonged to a fellow monster, it felt like paying nothing. And they were sure. They'd checked and double checked. The chances of someone they knew seeing them together were literally zero. This allowed them to discuss something different for a change.

"I'm just saying," said Asgore, "I could buy it here, and arrange to have it sent as a token of respect from a diplomat. Some still think you are the queen, and I've certainly gotten a few strange gifts from them. It would be better than my having to ignore your birthday again."

Toriel giggled. "That would be pretty sneaky, Gorey. But I never had much taste for trinkets, you know that. It has not changed in the past century. If you wish to smuggle a present to me, by all means proceed. Just make sure it is a practical one."

"As you wish," he said, returning the necklace they'd been discussing to its disappointed seller. "Shall we look at some of the food stalls?"

The weather was about as fine as any day in their long memories of before the war. Indeed, this modern approximation of an open air market underlined that connection, although being in the courtyard of a large city hall with stone pathways and modern sanitation meant there was much less danger of stepping in something. And on top of that, the lack of foul smells was accented by rather pleasant ones. The ease of access to ingredients around the world meant the food on offer was much more varied than a true market may have once offered. And much spicier.

"Mmm, that's rather pleasant," said Asgore, putting down a small sample of curry he'd just been given. "What do you think, Tori?"

"It is certainly rather different," she said, "I am not sure I would choose it first, but I would not refuse it."

"Much appreciated, Ma'am. Now, can I offer either of you a drink after that?" asked the vendor while gesturing to a fridge full of cans. "Buy one, get one free."

"Oh, no thank you," said Asgore.

"Are you sure? That was the hottest curry I make. Most, uh, most humans would find it hard to bear."

"Why?" asked Toriel. "We have something of an affinity for heat, perhaps that mitigates its effect on us."

"I didn't mean literally hot, I..." the vendor shook his head. "Never mind. Must be like birds or something."

Passing the trial by fire with flying colours, the two monsters opted for a wide spread of light nibbles to make up their lunch, to maximize their ability to sample from lands they couldn't have hoped to visit all of long ago. And their very non-humanity meant half the samples were free. Standing there in the flesh as two people that would inevitably stand out was payment enough for some.

"Oh, look at that book shop," said Toriel. "Would you mind if I had a look inside?"

"Of course not. You set the agenda, as always. Is it something new for the school?"

"No, I want to see if they have any good joke books."

Asgore chuckled at her mirth. "But, erm, I may not fit inside, it looks rather cramped. Would you mind if I didn't bother trying?"

"Hmm, perhaps it is for the best. I would hate if you got _booked_ for damages."

"Well it would be interesting to see how far sovereign immunity extended," he joked, "but best not to risk it. Have a good time, Tori."

So Toriel squeezed inside, leaving Asgore at the edge of the market. Watching the humans go about their business. Watching them watching him, more as a curiosity than anything significant.

"Dum dee dum. Nice day today..."

"Hail, King of Monsters."

Asgore turned his head, currently lacking a crown, to his left. A human woman stood before him in the middle of a theatrical bow. She wore a strikingly blue dress with ornate lace, golden earrings glinting through jet black hair.

"Umm... Howdy?" A herd of goats flashed up in his mind.

At his response she returned to her considerable height, surveying him with piercing hazel eyes. "'tis fate that we meet. Shall we delve that fate together?" She gestured towards a tent in a shadowed corner of the market with a sign propped up next to its entrance. "Fortunes told. Weals and Woes uncovered!" Understanding hit Asgore.

"Ah, I know how this goes," he said, trying not to offend. "Even in the old days, you could toss a few coins to someone to sound out your worries, and with a bit of lucky guessing they'd say something sort of relevant to your problems and you'd leave feeling better. It's nothing new. You probably know who I am from the news. Lord knows my friend Undyne has tried to keep enough cameras at a respectable distance."

The woman took the disparagement in stride. "It's true," she said, losing that theatricality, "that promises of a better tomorrow are sold easy. But I know you know that Sight is a thing. Humans and Monsters had it both, before the sealing. As did my family. The Sight is long gone from my line, as are most of the arcane arts of man, but we never lost the truth. We held onto it, while few would listen. We never let go of it, even as truth became rumour, became story, became silent. But truth has cycles, Mister Asgore, and we knew it would out. But yes, I got your name on my phone just to double check."

That last admission had the desired effect of disarming Asgore, but he wasn't ready to concede just yet. "You're saying you, uh, knew about monsters even before we were freed? Golly, that's a little hard to believe when every other human I've met on the surface treats me as a complete surprise. I'm sorry to bother you, but, um, do you have any proof?"

The woman didn't miss a beat. "You met your Queen when her father tried to gatecrash your mother's birthday banquet."

Asgore's purple eyes widened. "She and I are the only two living who should know that. I haven't even told our children yet."

"I believe one Dovah Guerrehalts told my family."

That sealed it. "Alright, Miss, uh... Madam...?"

"Madam Fortuna is my stage name," she said, "but you can call me Sheila. Now, would you care to delve into fate?"

"...do you think it's important that I do?" Asgore was now taking things seriously. "Like, it may determine whether peace will last?"

"...I don't know. I just saw you by chance and thought it would be interesting. Just because fate demanded we meet doesn't mean I knew ahead of time."

Frank honesty was always a winner with Asgore, so shortly he was carefully easing his way into Sheila's tent and crouching down on a stool a human child might have struggled with.

"What I don't get," he said, "is how you can tell fortunes if by your own admission you don't have the Sight? You're right that there were monster seers as well, but only one was sealed away with us. She gave us a prophecy, but bore no children. So as far as I know monsters no longer have the Sight either."

"Humans have always had a tendency to record things," she said, "save for when that knowledge is inconvenient. The techniques you've heard of, even in your day, have some kernel of truth, devised by those with Sight as a crude means of allowing others to See what they Saw. No doubt for many, the methods were copied and twisted without understanding until they were no better than a story. Not so in my family. We've been careful to separate wheat from chaff."

"Ooh," he said, tapping the glass orb on the table with his claw. "Does that mean you can really see something in here?"

"No, that's entirely made up. But people expect it these days, and it's important to put them in the right mindset if they are to take heed of the signs."

"Alright then, Sheila, where should we begin?"

"With your right hand, Asgore"

Interested, he held it up, and she took it, fingering the palm roughly to uncover the contours covered up by his fur.

"Hmmm. Your Mercury line is relatively short. You can speak well, but sometimes you speak at the wrong moment."

"I suppose that's true..."

"Four Union lines. You care deeply for people these lines represent. But one is hard to pick up, I'm not sure why. Oh, your Fate line is very interesting, little nooks and crannies. You might think every King would have a significant Fate line, but many just sit on the throne with little to worry about."

"Well, I suppose being King when the barrier broke might be significant?"

"Perhaps. It's rarely that simple though. Your Heart line outpaces your Head line by leagues, you let your emotions do the thinking. And the Life line. Certainly long, though that might mean something different to a monster than a human. It's strange though."

"What's strange?"

"It feels... shallow. Like it formed later than the other lines. Usually they'd form at the same time, when you're born."

Asgore scratched a floppy ear with his free hand. "That seer I mentioned. I recall she said something once about, 'your life line is only born with your kin'. I never knew what that meant, at least until now."

"Really? Well that's fascinating."

"I wonder if I lost mine for a time..."

Sheila missed that musing, finally releasing the hand. "Well your hand is certainly intelligible to me. I was kinda worried I'd predict you died last weekend, but no, it all adds up. And quite an interesting hand, even before the claws and fur."

"Well thanks Sheila, I guess." He gave her a warm smile. "What next?"

She put a finger to her chin in thought. "I suspect the tea leaves will tell us the most."

Asgore watched her grab a small white cup, spoon out some tea leaves, and reached towards an old rusty kettle. Asgore thought she was going to light a fire, but instead she reached past it for an electric kettle tucked away in the corner.

"Ugh, I should have planned ahead. I hope you don't mind waiting."

"Actually, I think I can help." He took the kettle, poured the cold water into the cup, picked it up, and let magic flow into it, the cup glowing orange as steam began to rise, Sheila watching impressed. "What do I do now?"

"Swirl it in your hand, five times, clockwise," she said, "then drink."

He obeyed, draining the cup in a single motion. "Most delicious."

"Glad you're enjoying it. Now put the cup on the table, and let us see."

Asgore leaned in as closely as his abused spine would permit. He could see the dregs of tea had formed various shapes, but he was too high up to make anything out clearly. Sheila had an easier time of it.

"A tall figure in the middle, a long shadow behind him..." she looked up. "Your life has not been trouble-free. You've made choices that haunt you."

His hulking posture sagged. "Yes..."

"A mountain. No, not Ebott, a sign of a risky or narrow path. But have you already traversed it or is it in the future? Never was sure about that one. A cross? No, a crossroads. Ahead of the figure. Well that's good news."

"Why? What does it predict?"

"Nothing specific. But it means it's your decision. I've seen cups with straight roads and people are destined to go down that road. Your fate isn't sealed like that, you can decide. Some roads will be easier than others, but that's up to you. And this star, at the base of the mountain... others have made your path possible. The mountain means there are moments in life where disaster may strike. But the star has guided you on that narrow path. It may still do so in the future. But you can't rely on it alone, the crossroads makes that clear. And lastly, the Sun, surrounded by clouds. Yes..."

She didn't elaborate on what the last images might mean, whether it was obvious or the opposite or something completely unrelated. Asgore continued to sit politely, ignoring the ache at the base of his tail, until Sheila sat upright again.

"The problem with an open fate such as the one this cup suggests," she said, "is that I cannot just say 'don't get the bus on Thursday, it's going to explode'. A free fate is the hardest to divine, even for true seers. But I think I've built up enough of a picture to give you some advice if you want to ask a question."

"About what?"

"Whatever you like. Political wranglings, a specific conflict, whether a plan is well-advised. Just try to be specific."

Asgore stroke his beard in thought. This had been fascinating, and the gift she now offered sounded really useful. There were indeed upcoming summits that friendly advice wouldn't go amiss, but should it be about avoiding offence or trying to extract a concession? Being specific was harder than one might think. So finally he settled on a question that had been niggling him all day.

"What should I get Toriel for her birthday?"

Sheila didn't look offended at the relative triviality of the question. Smiling, she leaned in her chair to look past him, out onto the street and the book shop. "That long shadow is yours, but it haunts her too, doesn't it?"

"How do you know?!"

"Body language. I saw you two before I introduced myself. Cordial. Warm, even. But ever so slightly strained. You don't need Sight to pick up on awkwardness. You've been estranged from her for a long time, and you fear what recovery you've made may collapse. Or that you've never really recovered. And if that fails," she concluded, "so might this current peace."

The omen hung heavy on the air. "...so should I get her some books?"

She smirked at his conscious priorities and subconscious worries. "Your fate is free, King Asgore. Listen to your heart, and listen to her, and you can't go wrong. Just don't be afraid to correct yourself if you step wrong. And don't bother with jewellery, that's a woman who cares not a jot for it."

Asgore chuckled. "Too right. Well, Sheila, this has been fascinating."

"Absolutely. It's so rare I get to practice these skills with someone who knows they are true, rather than merely believes them to be."

"Here," he said, taking a bundle of notes from his tiny wallet and dropping them in her hand. "For time well spent. Thank you."

"You're welcome." She handed him a business card. "If you ever feel like talking. Maybe I know something about the old days even you don't know."

"That sounds nice. Um, I need to stretch now if you don't mind. Thanks again!"

She continued to smile as he left the tent, indeed straightening as much as he could. Looking at his phone, not much time had passed at all. And he returned to the book shop just as Toriel came out with a small bag of purchases.

"I hope you were not just standing idle while waiting for me," she said. "I would hate to have you bored for no reason."

"Oh no, Tori. I was just, well, looking around. Very interesting place, this city."

"Good!" she gave him an affectionate nuzzle. "Should we head to the train station?"

"Yes, it's probably a bad idea to have Undyne babysitting for too long."

The two monsters made their way clear of the city hall and the market, seen off by Madam Fortuna. On their way to the station, they passed an electronics shop. Asgore paused in front of it.

"Toriel?"

She stopped too. "Hmm?"

"How would you like a coffee machine?"

Curious, she returned to where he stood and looked in with her. "Hmm. You know, that might be useful. Nothing against your tea, but I never had talent for brewing it, and coffee has been easier to make on a school morning. Yes, Gorey, I think that would make a lovely present!"

He rested a burly arm around her shoulder, bringing her closer to him. "It's settled then. I just need to pick an ambassador for it to have come from..."

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think, and thanks for reading!


End file.
